§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many unoccupied dwellings there are in England and Wales.
§ Mr. MellishThe latest firm figure was obtained from the 1961 Census of Population and Housing which showed that there were then 314,000 dwellings wholly unoccupied in England and Wales. (2.1 per cent. of the total number of dwellings.) The current number of wholly unoccupied dwellings is likely to be substantially higher than in 1961 and a firm figure will become available when the results of the 1966 Census of Population on housing are published this year. A margin of vacant houses is of course required to facilitate mobility and the smooth working of the housing market.